Benjamin Disraeli

2024/10/17

In Our Time

AI Deep Dive AI Insights AI Chapters Transcript

People

Daisy Hay

Emily Jones

Lawrence Goldman

Topics

Lawrence Goldman: 我认为迪斯累利是一位非常伟大的反对党领袖。在1846年保守党因谷物法分裂到1874年这段自由党占主导地位的时期,保守党组建了三个少数派政府,从未有过多数席位,但他们短暂地组建了政府(1852-3、1858-9、1866-8)。在此期间,他们在下议院最依赖迪斯累利来对抗自由党的大人物。他聪明、风趣,能赢得众议院的支持。当然,幽默能做很多事情。尽管存在反犹太主义情绪,我认为迪斯累利凭借其才能和魅力,在议会中获得了认可。如果他不够有才华,就不会以这种方式被接受。有趣的是,他年纪越大,就越认同自己的犹太身份。他从未真正离开过它。1847年,在关于犹太法案(犹太人解放)的辩论中,他非常突出。他发表了一篇著名的支持犹太人解放的演讲,提到了自己的犹太身份,并没有试图掩盖这一事实。我认为他确实利用了这一点,因为它使他与众不同。这使他成为一个奇特的局外人。这增加了他的个性。我的意思是,他在那场辩论中所说的一切都是真诚的。他对犹太教的尊重是真诚的。他显然很重视他的犹太血统。但显然,这也可以用来将他塑造成一个在政治中相当特殊的人物。所以我认为他的同事们最终接受了这一点......是更广阔的社会对他有偏见。 Emily Jones: 如果要谈论迪斯累利的成就,我会关注三个主题:议会改革、社会立法和帝国外交政策。如果我们回到1866年和1867年,迪斯累利的名字与1867年改革法案的通过密切相关。他当时还不是首相,而是财政大臣,但在下议院是领导者。最终在迪斯累利领导下通过的法案比自由党提出的法案激进得多。最终,随着法案在议会中审议,所有那些会给拥有某种类型财产或大学学位的人额外投票的奇特特权都被取消了。该法案的结果是,选民人数从100万增加到200万成年男性,主要是在城市地区。该法案对他的批评者来说意义重大,因为它使他们能够继续将他描绘成一个机会主义者、政治操纵者,并且缺乏严肃的政治原则。但对于他的支持者和后来的崇拜者来说,1867年改革法案的通过一方面证明了他与反辉格观点的一贯性,该观点认为1832年改革法案是一种派系的中产阶级立法,另一方面也使他的支持者能够将他描绘成一个预见到了托利民主的到来、保守派工人(以及后来的妇女)的可能性,以及基本上投票给保守党的民主的先知。一旦他在1874年成为首相,与这一时期相关的两个主要主题是1875年的社会立法,其中包括关于住房、公共卫生、食品和饮料掺假以及工会的整套法案。这在某种程度上被他的支持者视为......青年英格兰小说的原则付诸实践。从1875年起,迪斯累利越来越关注帝国事务和外交政策。因此,1875年购买苏伊士运河股份......1876年维多利亚成为印度女皇。有英阿战争、英祖鲁战争,最重要的是,围绕着奥斯曼帝国衰落以及对维护欧洲力量平衡的担忧而日益严重的问题,即东方问题、东方危机。以色列特别关注俄罗斯军事侵略。问题是,东方问题使格莱斯顿和迪斯累利的反对者能够将他描绘成支持奥斯曼统治的人,这包括据称默许了该地区对基督徒的保加利亚暴行。这再次使他的批评者能够将他描绘成外国人、其他人,并且基本上站在正统基督教道德之外。 Daisy Hay: 迪斯累利与维多利亚女王的关系最初并不融洽,因为维多利亚女王是罗伯特·皮尔的忠实粉丝,她认为迪斯累利应对皮尔的垮台负责,而且她认为玛丽安粗俗。然而,在阿尔伯特亲王于1861年去世后,迪斯累利真的能够在想象上、情感上与她产生共鸣,理解她失去的程度。他和阿尔伯特相处得很好。这是深思熟虑的还是自然的?我认为这是自然的,因为他非常喜欢阿尔伯特。他们一起参与了各种项目。他富有想象力地理解了她的孤独。因此,他在南肯辛顿建立阿尔伯特纪念馆方面发挥了作用,而且他没有像其他人那样责备她退出公众生活。这在他的故事中发展成另一段伟大的爱情故事,即迪斯累利和维多利亚女王之间的关系。有人说,当他称他们两人为“小作家”时,他是在夸大其词,因为维多利亚女王写了《高地日记》。但这种关系在宫廷对君主的浪漫化方面真正起飞了,当时,作为首相,他在1868年访问了巴尔莫勒尔。她开始对他的生活非常感兴趣。她与玛丽安互赠礼物。然后,她一直非常依恋他,这大大损害了可怜的格莱斯顿,她反过来又认为格莱斯顿应对迪斯累利的垮台负责。这在故事中稍微跳跃了一下,但在1867年迪斯累利夫妇都病得很重的时候,维多利亚女王焦急地询问他们的消息。非常不寻常的是,在迪斯累利去世后,她来到休恩登喝茶,坐在他的客厅里。所以,对他们两人来说,这都是头脑和心灵的结合。 Emily Jones: “一国保守主义”通常被用来表示一种整体的、具有社会意识的保守主义品牌,它声称同情社会关注和问题,试图在维护现有制度和权力系统的同时改善民族团结。我认为这个术语通常归因于1924年的斯坦利·鲍德温,并且在1950年成立的“一国集团”中非常著名地使用过,其中包括基思·约瑟夫和伊诺克·鲍威尔等不太可能的成员。迪斯累利,在他的生活、著作中肯定有一些材料可以支持这样一种理解,即迪斯累利是一位符合这一定义的“一国保守派”。我认为仅仅将迪斯累利描绘成机会主义者和缺乏原则的人是令人难以置信的。例如,很容易找到证据证明迪斯累利相信需要改善人民的状况。但迪斯累利不是民主主义者。他不赞成广泛的国家福利制度。我还认为,重要的是要理解,即使你拥有这些原始材料,仍然需要大量的编辑、改编和选择,才能首先提取《西比尔》,特别是作为他最具代表性和意义的文本。然后,就像在他死后发生的那样,将他描绘成一个严肃的思想家、伟大的政治家和现代问题的指导者,即把他的19世纪托利党政治改编成......改编成一个20世纪的政治议程,该议程从根本上更关注福利和经济管理问题。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

Why was Benjamin Disraeli baptized into the Anglican Church?

His father, Isaac Disraeli, fell out with the Jewish community and sought to enable his children to progress in British public life, as Jews faced certain social and professional restrictions.

How did Disraeli's education shape his early life?

Disraeli's education was patchy; he attended several schools, including a brief stint at an Anglican school where he was unhappy. However, he was heavily influenced by his father's extensive library, which provided him with a literary education.

What role did Disraeli's novels play in his political career?

Disraeli's novels, such as 'Sybil or The Two Nations,' articulated his political views and inspired the idea of One Nation Conservatism. They also allowed him to explore themes of leadership and social reform, reflecting his political ambitions.

How did Disraeli's marriage to Mary Anne Lewis impact his political career?

Mary Anne Lewis provided Disraeli with financial stability, which was crucial for his political survival. Her connections also helped him gain access to influential circles, including those around Robert Peel.

What was the significance of Disraeli's 'Young England' movement?

Young England was a group of Tory MPs who opposed Peel's liberal policies, advocating for a romantic conservatism that appealed to the patriotism and deference of the people. Disraeli's alignment with this group positioned him as a critic of Peel's leftward shift in the Tory party.

How did Disraeli's novel 'Sybil' influence social and political thought?

'Sybil' addressed the condition of the working class and the effects of industrialization, becoming a significant source for later socio-economic historians. It also contributed to the development of One Nation Conservatism by highlighting social inequality.

What was Disraeli's relationship with Queen Victoria like?

Initially, Victoria disliked Disraeli, but after Prince Albert's death, Disraeli's empathy and understanding of her grief helped build a close relationship. He became a trusted advisor and was seen as a courtly figure who romanced the Queen.

What were Disraeli's key achievements as Prime Minister?

Disraeli passed the 1867 Reform Act, which doubled the electorate, and introduced social legislation focusing on public health and housing. He also played a significant role in foreign policy, including the purchase of Suez Canal shares and the expansion of the British Empire.

How did Disraeli's Jewish background influence his political persona?

Disraeli embraced his Jewish heritage, using it to his advantage as an outsider in British politics. His Jewishness added to his exotic persona and allowed him to stand out in a predominantly Christian political landscape.

What legacy did Disraeli leave in British politics?

Disraeli's ideas on One Nation Conservatism and his focus on social reform influenced later political thought, particularly within the Labour Party. His novels and speeches also provided a vocabulary for discussing inequality and social issues in the 20th century.

Shownotes Transcript

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss one of the major figures in Victorian British politics. Disraeli (1804 -1881) served both as Prime Minister twice and, for long periods, as leader of the opposition. Born a Jew, he was only permitted to enter Parliament as his father had him baptised into the Church of England when he was twelve. Disraeli was a gifted orator and, outside Parliament, he shared his views widely through several popular novels including Sybil or The Two Nations, which was to inspire the idea of One Nation Conservatism. He became close to Queen Victoria and she mourned his death with a primrose wreath, an event marked for years after by annual processions celebrating his life in politics.

With

Lawrence Goldman Emeritus Fellow in History at St Peter's College, University of Oxford

Emily Jones Lecturer in Modern British History at the University of Manchester

And

Daisy Hay Professor of English Literature and Life Writing at the University of Exeter

Producer: Simon Tillotson

Reading list:

Robert Blake, Disraeli (first published 1966; Faber & Faber, 2010)

M. Dent, ‘Disraeli and the Bible’ (Journal of Victorian Culture 29, 2024)

Benjamin Disraeli (ed. N. Shrimpton), Sybil; or, The Two Nations (Oxford University Press, 2017)

Daisy Hay, Mr and Mrs Disraeli: A Strange Romance (Chatto & Windus, 2015)

Douglas Hurd and Edward Young, Disraeli: or, The Two Lives (W&N, 2014)

Emily Jones, ‘Impressions of Disraeli: Mythmaking and the History of One Nation Conservatism, 1881-1940’ (French Journal of British Studies 28, 2023)

William Kuhn, The Politics of Pleasure: A Portrait of Benjamin Disraeli (Simon & Schuster, 2007)

Robert O'Kell, Disraeli: The Romance of Politics (University of Toronto Press, 2013)

J.P. Parry, ‘Disraeli and England’ (Historical Journal 43, 2000)

J.P. Parry, ‘Disraeli, the East and Religion: Tancred in Context’ (English Historical Review 132, 2017)

Cecil Roth, Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield (New York Philosophical library, 1952)

Paul Smith, Disraelian Conservatism and Social Reform (Routledge & Kegan Paul PLC, 1967)

John Vincent, Disraeli (Oxford University Press, 1990)

P.J. Waller (ed.), Politics and Social Change in Modern Britain (Prentice Hall / Harvester Wheatsheaf, 1987), especially the chapter ‘Style and Substance in Disraelian Social Reform’ by P. Ghosh

In Our Time is a BBC Studios Audio Production

Benjamin Disraeli 51:21 Share